Hermione Finds a Tutor
by Fairy Roses
Summary: That's right! Miss KnowItAll needs help. Story takes place in the middle of HBP and Hermione must ask Draco for help in Potions. Or could she have a separate agenda for getting close to him? Find out! DMHG
1. Hermione's Assignment

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Yeah, so, in my profile, I lied. I said I was done writing fanfiction in order to work on my original works. Well... I was. For a while. Until I got some strange story idea and... I couldn't resist, mate. So here it is.

By the by, disregard the ending of the sixth book. Because, well, that made things SO very difficult for the whole Draco/Hermione thing. For me, anyway. So let's just pretend that didn't happen, and we're in the middle of sixth year again, okay? Okay. Also, I haven't read the book since last year, so if I muff up a few things, I don't really need to hear about it. Which translates into there's no specific timeline for this story. I don't care what happened when, and I'm most likely going to make stuff up anyway. Ahh, the beauty of fanfiction.

That being said, slight spoiler for the sixth book.

Hermione Finds a Tutor

Chapter One: Hermione's Assignment

"You want me to do what?" Hermione, standing, asked, eyes wide with disbelief.

"You heard me, Miss Granger. Though, I assure you, it was not _my_ idea. Can you do it or not?" Professor McGonagall asked, losing patience.

"Of course I can't! He hates me! Everybody knows that. How could you even expect me to do that?"

"She's precisely right, Albus. We cannot ask her to do such a thing. Surely you could find another?"

McGonagall, Dumbledore, and Hermione had been in Dumbledore's office. The headmaster requested the meeting with the two in hopes that Hermione would agree to help.

"Albus. If it is as you say, then mightn't we want to find a different way to go about this? Like confinement, mind control, torture, or something nicer like that? Do not submit Miss Granger to such a fate," she stood up next to the young prefect.

"My dear Minerva, you're not underestimating one of the cleverest witches that Hogwarts has ever seen, are you? I would not have asked this of her if I had any doubt in her abilities."

"But, Professor, Malfoy hates me! And if, like you say, he's in league with... with Voldermort, then what's to stop him from killing me?" Hermione could not believe this was happening. She wanted to have faith in Dumbledore, but this time she was certain he'd gone completely mental.

"Trust me, Miss Granger. He is not about to commit a murder. And I strongly believe that, with your help and guidance, he could begin to sever his ties to Voldermort," he argued.

"Can you find no one else to do this?" Hermione begged.

"I want someone whom I can fully trust," Dumbledore popped a lemon drop into his mouth.

"But how am I supposed to befriend Draco Malfoy? He hates me, he hates my family, he hates my friends, he hates my cat-"

"I trust you'll come up with something. You always do."

"Albus, you know that I want to help you however I can. If Mr. Malfoy's objective for the end of this year is to kill you-"

"This is not about me, Minerva. I know what I'm doing. This is about saving that boy from evil. I can sense he does not want to go through with this, but he lacks the confidence it takes to refuse the darkness. He will need help if he is to turn himself around."

"Why should we care about him?" Hermione spat.

"Because," Dumbledore patiently explained, "I do not want to be held accountable for letting such an intelligent wizard become an evil force. Not again," his head drooped and, for the first time during their discussion, he looked old and helpless.

"Albus," McGonagall placed a hand on his shoulder.

Hermione took a deep breath. She did not wish to see Dumbledore looking so weak and broken. "I'll do it," she said. "Well, I'll try, anyway."

"Thank you, Hermione," Dumbledore whispered before dismissing her.

xxxx

Hermione's walk back to the Gryffindor common room was a pleasant one compared to setting a werewolf free among the students. Along the way, she gave three girls detention for walking in front of her too slowly, threatened more than a few first years, and had the pleasure of, quite literally, bumping into Draco Malfoy himself. She pulled her wand from her robes as he dropped his school books.

"Stay the bloody hell OUT of my way or I'll turn you into a newt!" Hermione pointed her wand at him.

If he had a witty comeback, Hermione did not stay long enough to hear it. After her outburst, she quickly turned and continued on her way back to the common room. 'Great going,' she thought to herself. 'We'll be friends in no bloody time at all.'

How could Dumbledore expect her to, after so many years of animosity between them, breech the exterior of Draco Malfoy and make him trust her? She recognized the urgency and seriousness of the situation, of course, but... by what means was she to accomplish this task?

She finally made it to the common room and flopped right into her favorite chair and did some well-deserved pouting. That is, until some very, very unfortunate soul decided to interrupt her.

"Hermio-"

"What!" She snapped and immediately regretted it. Poor Neville stood beside her, his face changing from a look of concern to that of downright horror. "Oh, I'm sorry Neville. I'm just, well, I've had a rough day is all. I didn't mean to take it out on you," she carefully touched his arm in an apologetic way. "Did you need something?"

He relaxed. "I just came over to see if you were okay. You flew in here so fast and when you sat down you didn't start doing your homework. I wanted to know if everything was alright," he prattled on.

"Everything's fine, Neville, thanks for ask-"

"Because, I mean, I'd understand if you were feeling upset," Neville continued. "What with Ron and Lavender together now, and I hear Harry's getting better marks than you in Potions, but, well, you'll be fine."

"Thank you, Neville. Thanks a lot," Hermione, faking a smile, said through clenched teeth. Neville returned to his own homework, and a good thing he did, too. Not only had he caught Hermione in a fiery mood, but he had inadvertently added more wood and stoked that fire. On top of having to convert her worst enemy, her best friends were also getting on her last nerve. It was bad enough Ron was obviously snogging Lavender Brown in a weak attempt to make Hermione jealous and Harry had been more or less cheating to do well in Potions, but did it have to be common knowledge... "Oh!"

And there it was. For once in her life, Hermione was relieved that people were clued into her problems. If her issues circulated the gossip mill among the Gryffindors, maybe they had spread throughout the school. Hermione, in much better spirits, grabbed her bag and headed toward the library. In the corridors, students ducked and dodged in fear as they saw Hermione return, but she didn't mind. Her walk was made that much easier.

She entered the library and, as she expected, found Draco perusing over his school books at a table in the back. Luckily for Hermione, he sat by himself. She took a deep breath before slowly starting toward him. He did not notice her until she sat down across from him.

He looked up and smirked. "Come to turn me into a newt, Granger? If you do, I hope that I'm a literate newt. I have a lot of work to get done before... well, I have a lot to get done." Draco returned his attention to the outspread books.

"I'm sorry," Hermione blushed. "I was, er, upset when I said that."

"Frankly, I was intrigued to see little Miss Perfect a bit frazzled," Draco admitted, setting down his quill. "And I having nothing to do with it," he finished. "What has gotten you so on edge?" His smile mocked her. He knew damn well about her situations with Harry and Ron. Good.

Hermione remained as calm as possible. So far, so good. At least he wasn't insulting her more than normal. She felt confident that they could have a civilized conversation. "I need your help," Hermione blurted out.

Draco tried to hide his surprise at her abruptness by laughing. "Hermione Granger is asking me for help?" His arrogance returned.

"Listen, Malfoy, I'm sure you've heard about-"

"You're not going to ask me to pretend to date you in order to make Weasley jealous, are you?" Draco asked apprehensively.

It was Hermione's turn to laugh. "Hardly anything so manipulative. I need help with something else."

"I'm listening," Draco urged.

"I," Hermione began. "This is really hard for me to say, but... I, er, need help with... Potions."

"Come again?"

Hermione glared at Draco. He had heard her perfectly well. "Potions, Malfoy. I need help. Your help. Although I'm sure the fact that Snape favored you helped with your marks, we both know that you're one of the best Potions students. I would like for you to, well, you know," Hermione played her role very well as she fidgeted in her chair. She would not make eye contact and she acted frustrated.

"Wait a minute," Draco said. He leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and put his arms behind his head as a satisfied smile curved his mouth.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked impatiently.

"Savoring the moment, of course. It's not everyday Miss Know-It-All admits that she needs a tutor. And you're too embarrassed to ask Potter for help? Is he really doing that much better than you?" He opened his cold, grey eyes once again to watch Hermione's reaction.

"Oh, hang it, Malfoy. Will you help me or not?"

Draco thought for a moment. "No," he said simply.

Hermione stood up in a huff. "Fine. I don't know why I came to you, anyway. You probably wouldn't be able to help. I'll bet Harry's marks are even higher than yours."

She turned to leave, not sure what to do if he didn't take the bait.

"Granger, wait. Come back here."

Perfect.

She spun on her heel and stared at him. "Tsk, tsk, Hermione. Desperate? If you're willing to try reverse psychology on me, then you must really be doing poorly in class."

Okay... Not so perfect. Oh well, she might still be able to wing it from here.

"By my standards, yes," Hermione said as if her pride had been wounded.

"Well in that case," Draco started. Here it came. She held her breath. "What's in it for me?"

Hermione honestly hadn't thought about that. She cursed herself for believing, even for a second, that Draco would agree to do anything without reciprocation. She could lose the entire deal right here and now if she didn't think of something quickly.

"Er, what do you want?"

Great response, Hermione. That sounded like a very put-together and well thought out response. He won't be suspicous at all.

A smile played on the corner of Draco's lips. "Nothing you could give me," he looked her up and down and Hermione suddenly felt self-conscious. "Anyway, I'm rather busy."

Oh no, he's going to say no.

"So, if you can do without help tonight, meet me here tomorrow night right after supper. That will give me time to think this over and name my price."

He didn't say no? He didn't say no! Feeling rather optimistic, Hermione thanked Draco. "You're sure you can't help me right now?" She added for effect.

Draco scoffed. "I'm not going to help you until we make a deal. You scratch my back, I scratch your's, and all that."

"Please be reasonable, Malfoy," Hermione said in a noncommital tone before leaving him to sit at the table by himself. She hoped he would be reasonable. She wouldn't be able to refuse. What other choice would she have?

xxxx

A/N: Welp, that's it for the first chapter. I will try to finish this story. It's going to be extremely short if I do, though. Let me know what you think.


	2. Private Lessons

Chapter Two: Private Lessons

_G._

_Forget about meeting me tonight. Instead, look up whatever you can about Legilimency. I want you to help me learn Occlumency. We'll meet tomorrow night. I'll let you know where later._

_-M._

Hermione and McGonagall once again found themselves in Dumbledore's office. It was during the lunch break, and Hermione had just told them Draco's terms. McGonagall looked worried, but Dumbledore smiled. He stood up and walked over to a cupboard. He pulled out a shallow stone basin with odd runes and symbols carved around the edge.

Hermione's eyes widened. "Is that a... a Pensieve? I've read about them but I've never actually seen one before."

"It is, and I think you may find it quite useful."

"You mean you're going to allow this?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Of course," Dumbledore explained, "Mr. Malfoy wants to learn Occlumency. What reason could he have for that other than to hide something from Voldermort?"

"Maybe he's trying to hide something from you, Albus," McGonagall insisted. "Miss Granger said his letter did not give a reason for wanting to learn it."

"True, but what else could he hide? Now, Miss Granger, you'll want to concentrate on our past few meetings and anything else you do not wish for Mr. Malfoy to find out-"

"But I'll be doing the Legilimency," Hermione said.

"Yes, and if he does learn to resist, the spell can backfire. You still need to do more research. We do not need him to know that we know what he thinks we don't know."

"I still think this is a bad idea, Albus," McGonagall interjected. "He may have more to hide from you later."

"My dear Minerva, it's like I said before. This is not about me. In that regard, nothing harmful can come from him learning Occlumency."

"I hope you're right, Albus. I hope you're right."

"Professor Dumbledore," Hermione began. "What if I cannot convert Malfoy? I mean, even if he has agreed to help me, there's no way I could influence him enough to make him change his mind completely."

"That is not your purpose. Don't worry, I don't expect that he will completely renounce his ways. But you will plant the seeds, Hermione. You will help him. Trust me. Now, practice this a few times right now, and come back tomorrow night before your session."

xxxx

Hermione stood in front of the door to the Room of Requirements. She checked to make sure no one else was around before she knocked twice, waited three seconds, then knoced twice more. The door opened slowly and revealed Draco standing in the room. He had apparently been reading, his thumb kept his page.

"Nobody's going to walk in on us, right?" Hermione asked.

"That was one of my requirements," Draco smugly replied.

"Of course," Hermione looked around the room. There was a table (like one that would be found in the Potions room) in one corner. Various Potions materials and texts were set around there. At the other end was a sofa and a table. Hermione walked over to the object on the table. "Is this a Pensieve? I've read about them but I've never actually seen one before," Hermione said with all the earnestness she'd had the day before. She smiled and turned to Draco. "Have a few secrets you don't want me to find out?"

Draco smirked. "A few," he handed Hermione the book he had been holding. "I assume you did some research last night."

"I actually began right after I got your letter in the morning," she admitted. "I had some free time after breakfast and I headed straight to the library. Occlumency is quite interesting, really. I think we should consider teaching it, at least at O.W.L. level. Only, in order to teach it-"

"Someone would have to use Legilimency. Which is... a questionable skill, at best. Hence the reason I agreed to help you if you would help me. If _you _get really good at Legilimency, I know I can trust you not to use it against anyone else."

Hermione smiled.

"What?" Draco asked, surprised. "I didn't mean that as any sort of compliment."

"I figured as much, but I just thought of something. I came to you with my Potions problem because I didn't want to admit that there _was _a problem to my best friends. And you, well, you trust me to help you learn Occlumency more than you trust your best friends."

"No, you're just much cleverer than them. Again, that's not a compliment. I could say the same thing to my sock, and it would be just as true. Could you imagine Crabbe or Goyle casting such an advanced spell?"

"Parkinson could," Hermione said, honestly referring to the girl's skill. She was not exactly the brightest, but she could possibly learn if she practiced enough.

Draco scoffed. "I'd be creating a monster. I wouldn't trust her with that sort of ability."

Hermione nodded and thumbed through the book. "I wish you had another Pensieve so I could remove some of my, er, rather embarrassing memories that I don't want you to see. The spell can backfire, you know."

Raising a brow, Draco said, "That's right. I hadn't even thought of that." Draco hadn't thought about someone else? Big surprise. Then, when he turned back to the table, there sat another Pensieve. "I'll remember for next time, too."

Hermione smiled. "Oh, I do love this room. Let me see," she opened the book she held to a page about Pensieves. She read over the instructions for extracting memories. She put her wand to her temple and drew a silver strand and placed it into the basin. She repeated this several times. Of course, it was all for show. She had already extracted the important memories in Dumbledore's office. He had advised, however, only to store the few conversations and musings she had recently had about Draco. He had guessed Draco would use a Pensieve, and it would seem only natural for Hermione to want to use one as well. "That should do," Hermione stated as she put one last memory into the shallow basin. It swirled with a silvery light.

"Then let's get started," Draco stood opposite Hermione. "Ready?"

"This is the first time I've ever cast this spell," Hermione said uneasily. "I hope I don't mess up too horribly."

"You won't," Draco assured her with something almost like kindness.

The next ten minutes were spent in fits of giggles or laughter by one or the other of the students, never both at the same time. Draco and Hermione were equally skilled in their respective spells, which is to say that they were _not_ skilled at all.

"I can't believe I forgot about that one," Draco scowled after Hermione had seen a memory of him holding a yellow blanket and sucking his thumb at the age of nine.

"Maybe we should take a break from this for a while," she offered between giggles. "It seems we lose focus every other time we do it. Also, we know we're more vulnerable when we're laughing than when we're angry or embarrassed, but we're still vulnerable, all the same. Any kind of emotion is, I think."

"Agreed. Well, at least one good thing came of that. We now know how important it is to stay focused. No emotion... I can't believe I forgot about those," they flopped next to each other on the couch and helped themselves to the pumpkin juice that had appeared on the table when neither of them was looking.

"Well, you won't have to worry. I'll promise not to tell if you don't."

"No problem," Draco replied. "Okay. How about we work on Potions for then next half hour or so. We'll keep alternating until it gets too late," he _accio_-ed a book from the other side of the room. (Trying to defend one's most embarrassing memories is an exhausting task.) "By the way, I just thought about this, how is Potter doing better than you in Potions? Just last year, he was taking remedial Potions with Snape."

"Therein lies the problem," Hermione answered smoothly. "Harry could care less about the subject when Snape was teaching. Slughorn, on the other hand, actually likes Harry, so he's putting forth an honest effort. He is rather smart when he applies himself," not to mention when he has his convenient cheat book with him, Hermione added to herself.

"True," Draco consented. "Anyway, I figure we can read and take notes for a while before we start the experiment," Hermione _accio_-ed parchment, a quill, and ink. "We'll do simple potions first, just so that you can research the materials and find the best way to prepare them. The procedures we're given work well enough, but every potion has room for some improvisation. Er, intelligent and reasonable improvisation."

Hermione instantly knew that, by the look on his face, Draco was referring to the incident where Goyle thought he could make a few substitutions. That was not a pleasant day for anybody. Even Peeves complained about the mess.

The rest of the night was, more or less, a success. Hermione actually, and much to her surprised, learned a lot of basics about Potions that had not been taught in class. In addition, she became increasingly better at Legilimency. Draco, on the other hand, struggled. He could hide his emotions easily enough, but Hermione was a determined opponent. He did not complain. After all, this is why he agreed to help her in the first place. He needed someone to help him become better. Besides, he did well for his first time.

Probably the best part of the night, from Hermione's point of view, was the fact that they did not fight. She was actually amazed at how mature Draco could be when he had a goal in mind. He was determined to improve, and was not about to slack on his end of their deal. He was an excellent tutor.

A few minutes before midnight, they returned their memories and the two of them sat back on the couch. Draco and Hermione were mentally drained. The mind games seemed endless, not to mention they made two potions and prepared the ingredients for a third.

"You didn't tell anybody did you?" Draco suddenly asked.

Hermione shook her head. "I haven't spoken to Harry or Ron in a few days, honestly. Anyway, I wouldn't really be able to slip that into a conversation. I don't intend to tell anybody, either. I think we can keep this pretty low-key. Otherwise, people would start to talk. How about you? Did you say anything?"

"And let anybody know that I was getting help from a mud- er... a Gryffindor?" Hermione got very quiet after that. Draco scratched his head. "Sorry, Granger. You... you didn't deserve that. You never did, really. I just... I was just-"

"You were just playing your part," Hermione said, understandingly. "You're from a very prestigious, pure-blood family and you were taught to think of muggleborns, people like me, as inferior. I understand. You have to uphold that image."

Draco, feeling rather stricken, did not speak again until they heard the clock strike midnight. They both stood and looked at each other. Hermione picked up her Potions notes and Draco picked up the notes he'd written about Occlumency. "Are you free tomorrow night? Or would you rather take a break-"

"Tomorrow night's fine with me. Same time?"

Draco nodded. "Sure."

They walked together in the corridors for a while until they came to the hallway where they had to go their separate ways. Draco turned to Hermione to apologize again but before he could say sorry, she said: "It's no big deal, Malfoy. I mean, it's not like we're friends or anything. Thank you for helping me, though. I can't believe how much I didn't know!"

She said a quick good night and walked away before Draco had time to respond. She made it to the Gryffindor common room in time to see the last of the students climb the stairs to their dormitory. Hermione smiled to herself. She'd never thought of herself as much of an actress, but she was positive she had Draco completely fooled. This deceitful game was actually fun. And that was perfect timing! They'd just had that relatively pleasant evening together, and Draco let that word slip from his mouth. He actually thought she'd been offended! How perfect! And how innocently she pouted. If Draco Malfoy could feel guilt, he was probably swimming in it now.

"Hah," Hermione whispered to herself. "As if I would actually care that he called me that after how many years of hearing it? One night doesn't change a thing, no matter how well we seemed to be getting on," she looked down at her notes. "Draco Malfoy, I'll have you believing every word I say. You'll never suspect a thing. Don't worry though, it's for your own good. I promise I won't hurt you."

Hermione climbed the stairs to her room and got ready for bed. She fell asleep with visions of a certain blonde boy racing in her mind.

xxxx

Draco Malfoy still stood where Hermione left him. He watched her retreating figure until it faded into the darkness and then listened to the soft thud of her footsteps until the silence around him devoured them. He looked out of the window and saw the stars. His hands shook as he whispered, "Yeah. Not friends. But you helped me. You helped me too. I can't believe I didn't know..." Draco let the words diminish in the lonely corridor. He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and finally returned to the Slytherin common room, guilt following him. "You never deserved it. And I am sorry."

xxxx

End chapter number two. Don't worry. If you're confused about why Draco's being all emotional and sappy, it will be explained in later chapters. It's not OOC, trust me. Not even for this early in a fic.

Let me know what you guys think, by the way. I personally think that I have too much dialogue and not enough... depth. Dunno. I tried to even it out. Anymoo, I would like to know what YOU think. Trust me, an author needs to hear these things. Otherwise, I'm just writing for my own selfish amusement, and this fic will be of no use to anybody who is not of my kindred spirit.

Thanks for reviewing! Sammie the Marauder, (Lucky. Marauder. And woot to the this-fic-is-pre-RL/NT, because we all know how silly that pairing is. RL is so totally, obviously, undeniably gay.) and Gwinna, (Thank you!).

COMPLETELY RANDOM: o.O I have a Marilyn Manson song stuck in my head. I can honestly say that that has never happened to me before. His is not a name which frequents my playlist. Until now, that is.


	3. Rumors

Okay, so this chapter was originally about 11 pages long. DO NOT WORRY! I split it up into two chapters to make it more bearable. Besides, I couldn't come up with a way to end the second half, so I figured I'd post the first bit and wait for some feedback before putting up the rest. Perhaps that will help.

Shanterria Draconia Malfoy. SORRY! I misinterpretted your comments. Your review did make me feel that my portrayal of Draco was being mocked, though. (Yes, I am _slightly_ sensitive about my writing. Okay, so I'm extremely sensitive.) Again, I apologize, since that was not your intent.

Chapter Three: Rumors

Hermione sat in the library surrounded, like always, by numerous books and parchment. She and Draco had been meeting in the Room of Requirements for nearly a week now. Today, Saturday, they decided to take a well-deserved break. Their second meeting was by far the most awkward. Draco still regretted his slip-up, but they both eventually accepted that it couldn't be changed. By the end of the night, they were laughing at each other's memories again.

From then on, they had few hitches in their plans. In Potions, Hermione was doing much better. Not quite as well as Harry yet, though. As for Draco, he gained a better control of his emotions. The fact that Hermione was a better Legilimens than he was an Occlumens only helped Draco. After all, Hermione was still an ameteur. How could he defend himself against a practiced Legilimens if he still struggled against her?

"You're getting good at that Granger," he said one night. "You're not practicing during the day are you?"

Hermione smiled mischievously but did not answer. Of course, she hadn't. But, Merlin, was it tempting. All those unwitting students walking around. And it would help so much with her duties as a prefect. Let one of those little first years try to lie to her, she'd see right through them. Hermione fought the temptation all the same.

Especially now as she sat in the library. She just saw Lavender Brown and Parvatti Patil walk in. Lavender kept looking Hermione's way and she was dying to know what the girl could possibly be thinking.

"Don't even think about it," came a voice.

"What are you, my conscience?" Hermione asked, mockingly.

"Isn't that a scary thought," Draco pulled up a chair next to her. "Let it go, Granger." He continued at her look of confusion, "I mean about Brown over there. I saw you watching her. What good would it do to read her mind anyway?"

"Wow, you are my conscience. Anyway, what's up? I thought we were taking a break today."

"We are. I just wanted to know how you did with the hat yesterday. I didn't get a chance to ask you earlier."

Yes, hat. Hats and scarves. They decided to speak in code if they ever talked in public.

"Oh. Er, it looked great! One or two things were still a bit off, but it turned out fine for the most part."

"That's good."

They sat in an awkward silence for a few minutes. The kind of awkward silence where one person knows the other person has something he wants to say but he won't just come out and say it.

"Is there something else you wanted to ask me, Malfoy? I'm not trying to get rid of you or anything, but I do have an essay to work on for Arithmancy."

"Oh. Sorry. Well, yes, I did have something else to ask. I feel like a jerk saying this, especailly since I wasn't going to help you unless you could help me but... You know. You're doing fine with hats now, and soon you won't need a tutor anymore. For me, though, I'm not going to get a handle on the scarves as quickly or as easily. So, maybe we can find something else, other than hats, that I can help you with so you can keep helping me with scarves."

"How about socks?" Hermione asked. Draco raised a brow and she shrugged. "It was supposed to be a joke. But sure, I can still help you. And if I don't need help with socks, whatever that may be, right away, I can still help you with scarves. No problem."

"Thanks Granger. I owe you one."

"Don't you forget that, either. I'm holding you to your word."

"I would expect no less. Meanwhile, don't be tempted to do anything. Such behavior just would not be very fitting of you," Draco stood up and left Hermione alone. Wow. Draco Malfoy just discouraged Hermione Granger from doing something dubious. What next? Snape inviting Harry Potter over for tea? Or worse, Harry accepting that invitation.

Hermione snapped out of her musings when she heard giggling. She just remembered Lavender and Parvatti. They saw her talking to Draco, no doubt. Oh well. What could they possibly say? She could always find out- NO, STOP. They looked her way once more and Hermione merely smirked before returning her attention to the books before her. She had nothing to prove to them.

After finishing her essay, Hermione headed to the Great Hall for some lunch. She caught Draco's eye and he nodded a hello to her before conversing with his fellow Slytherins again. Hermione smiled and took a seat next to Ginny. Draco seemed more human in this past week than he had ever in the previous years Hermione had known him. At least he wasn't above acknowledging her in public.

"Quick," the redhead said to her, "pick a number between one and one billion."

Hermione blinked, caught offguard by the random statement. "Two," she said slowly.

"Times a million, plus five billion, and that's about how many times I've felt like puking around _Won Won_ and his girlfriend," Ginny made a face. "I mean, seriously. That's my brother she's snogging, or trying to eat, or whatever the bloody hell she's doing. You'd think they'd at least have the decency to use discretion," she stabbed her turkey. "I don't want to see that," Ginny continued to mutter and she began to lose steam. In a few moments, she'd calmed down a considerable amount. "So, how have you been Hermione? I haven't seen you in the common room in a while."

"I've been studying a lot lately."

"Now why didn't I think of that?" Ginny joked.

They finished their meal and decided to take a walk around the grounds. It was a cool day with a gentle breeze. As long as they kept moving, they stayed warm. They were outside for about half an hour when they saw Harry running to meet them.

"Hey Harry," Hermione said rather awkwardly. She still hadn't really talked to him in a while. "What's up?"

"Is it true?" Harry asked accusingly.

"Excuse me?"

"What are you talking about?" Ginny raised a brow.

"Hermione. Is it true? About you and that git, Malfoy?"

"What about Malfoy?" What did he know? Hermione wondered.

"There's a rumor that you two are dating," Harry explained. He looked angry and betrayed. Ginny's jaw dropped.

"No doubt a rumor started by Ron's girlfriend," Hermione muttered. "No, Harry, we aren't dating. I can't believe you would think that we were. Draco was talking to me at the library today, nothing spectacular, but Lavender and Parvatti saw us and I can only guess they started talking."

Harry, much to Hermione's surprise, nodded. It was good to know that he still believed Hermione over others. "I see. Well, you'd better get inside, then. He and Ron are about to get into a row."

"What?" Hermione screamed and began running inside. "Why?"

"Well, Ron thought the rumors were true and he just started swearing and went looking for Malfoy."

"Why would he do that?"

"Because he doesn't want that slimy git around you?"

"Don't call him that," Hermione snapped. "And what I meant was why didn't he come to me first?"

They pushed through the doors and Hermione asked Harry where they were. He produced an old piece of parchment from his pocket, careful to make sure no one else saw. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," Harry muttered. "They're both on the second floor. They're close but not in the same hallway yet. Ron's on his way," he said this all while running up the stairs. "Follow me," Harry ran to the left and tucked the parchment into his pocket after saying "Mischief managed."

Ginny ran into a third year Ravenclaw when they turned one corner and she swore loudly. "Watch where you're going!" He yelled after them.

"Drop dead!" Ginny retorted, becoming red in the face.

They turned another corner and finally found Draco and Ron who were surrounded by a large group of students from all four houses. More arrived every second. Hermione started shoving saying, "Prefect, coming through. Out of my way."

"They have their wands drawn," Harry yelled above Hermione's head as he pulled his own from his robes. He aimed it at Draco. "_Stupefy_," he cast the stunning spell.

"_Protego_," Hermione yelled, concentrating on setting the shield in front of Draco rather than herself. It worked and dispelled Harry's curse. She'd drawn her wand the second she saw that Harry drew his.

"What are you doing, Hermione?" Harry and Ginny both asked.

She did not answer them. Lavender, looking rather vexed, stood behind Ron. Hermione pushed her aside in order to point her wand in Draco's direction. "_Expelliarmus_," she hexed both boys and their wands went flying. She stepped between them. "WHAT is going on here?" Hermione demanded in a loud, authoritative voice.

"I could ask you the same question," Ron scowled. "Did you just use a shield charm on Malfoy?"

"Harry was going to curse him!" Hermione defended herself.

"So?" Ron remarked.

"_Accio wands_," Hermione said. The fallen wands flew to her. "I want everybody out of this corridor RIGHT NOW!" Less than a minute later, Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, Ron, Harry, Ginny and Hermione were the only ones who remained in the hall. Lavender had stomped away though Hermione could not guess why. What was in her head? Too late to find out now. "Get out of here," Hermione handed Draco's wand back to him. She said it in a noncommital tone, neither angry nor sympathetic.

"Gladly," he did not even look at her. His eyes stayed on Ron. "We can continue this conversation later if you want to, Weasley."

"No. Believe me, you can't," Hermione interjected as Draco walked past them. She turned to Ron. "What is your problem?" She glared at Ron as she shoved his wand back at him. Oh, if looks could kill.

"I think you're the one with the problem. Malfoy? Have you gone mental? How could you side with Malfoy?"

"I didn't side with anybody."

"You're right, and you should have sided with me since I'm, you know, your friend. You might as well have sided with Malfoy. And what's this I hear about you dating him?"

"Don't believe everything that little bitch says," Hermione spat, unable to control her anger.

"Don't call my girlfriend a bitch!"

Hermione smirked. "So she _did_ start this rumor. Figures," she took a deep breath to calm her nerves. "Ron, I'm not dating anyone. Lavender and Parvatti saw us talking for a few minutes in the library this morning-"

"What were you talking about?"

"Shut your trap and let me finish!" Hermione shouted. "Anyway, that's probably how the rumor got started, though I can't understand why she would say something so ridiculous. And, no, I did not side with anyone. Ron, you were the one who went looking for Malfoy. Don't even try to deny that. And Harry had no business to attack Malfoy."

"My best mate was in trouble, Hermione. Isn't that my business?"

She turned on Harry. "If he was actually in trouble, it was his own stupid fault. You know that wouldn't have been fair."

"When has Malfoy ever fought fair?" Harry and Ron both asked.

"That doesn't mean you shouldn't! Look, the point is that this entire ordeal could have been avoided. Ron, why wouldn't you come ask me first?"

"Well, you were... and then... First of all you haven't exactly been available to talk to recently," Ron mumbled for a while. "Secondly, what were you two talking about?"

"Oh, grow up, Ron," Hermione stormed away, resisting the urge to hex him, and leaving three very confused Gryffindors behind her. "And you should probably pass that message along to your girlfriend while you're at it."

xxxx

"I'm personally proud of the way you handled things," McGonagall told Hermione as they drank tea in her office. "By no means do I trust young Mr. Malfoy, nor do I encourage you to do so, but perhaps this will make him trust you more? For one thing, you stood up to your best friends for him. I see how clever you are. In order to deceive your enemy, you must first deceive your friends. Make everybody else think that you're willing to take his side, and even Draco Malfoy himself will believe it."

Hermione said nothing. Professor McGonagall made her realize something: a week ago, it would not have mattered if he deserved to be attacked by both Harry and Ron or not, she would not have protected Draco either way.

So what did that mean? Had this past week been enough to change Hermione's views about Draco? How ridiculous. Generations of purely bred evil does not just disappear after a week of spending time with a... a muggleborn witch. Surely she had all along been, subconsciously, doing as McGonagall had said. Deceiving her friends in order to deceive Draco. As long as she did not allow herself to be double-crossed, she would be fine.

But is this charade worth the risk of losing her friends' trust?

xxxx

Yeah, that's the first part of the original chapter. I added the bit with McGonagall sorta last minute, so that's why it may seem out of place and such. Ugh. I made this more complicated than I initially wanted. I was hoping to finish it in four chapters or so. Well, that's not going to happen.

Thanks for reviewing! Shanterria Draconia Malfoy, (Sorry about the misunderstanding!) mean-girl123, (Did you get my message? If not, OOCOut Of Character. I didn't know what it stood for for a while either. Thanks for the review!) xxlightningboltxx, (Yeah, it sounded simple to me at first too. I thought it would be. And now here I am in the third chapter and everything's becoming complicated. And now I don't know if I'm going to be able to finish it in as few chapters as I'd hoped. Oops. That's probably my own fault.) Gwinna, (Thanks for your input about the dialogue. You're right, and that comes as a big relief to know I'm not relying on dialogue too much more than I should.) uhhhhh yeah, (Eep. Sorry, but the chapter had to end somewhere! Oh, you probably damned me at the end of this chapter, too. It's rather... abrupt.) and Jessie Bear 16, (I had The Nobodies stuck in my head. I think it's the only Manson song I've really ever listened to, and I like it a lot! Do you have any suggestions as to what other songs of his I might like? Oh yeah, thanks for the review!)


	4. Cleaning up the Aftermath

Okay, so, based on some of the reviews I received, I revamped the last half of the chapter. I'm glad that I didn't post it now. I think some of you would have been like "wtf, mate?" So thank you for reviewing! Now, onward!

Chapter 4: Cleaning up the Aftermath

On Sunday morning, Hermione did not even want to open her eyes. Yesterday had been a disaster. This entire situation seemed hopeless. Her friends were angry with her, she was angry with them, and the only person who might tolerate her at the moment probably wouldn't be caught dead talking to her in front of the entire school. She hadn't even thought of the effect her "mediation" would have on Draco's ego.

"Hermione, are you awake yet?"

Lavender. She brushed her hair as she sat, looking at Hermione, on her own bed.

"What do you want?"

"Look, Hermione, I want to say sorry. I was going to say something to you last night, but you were asleep by the time I got back to the room. Ron said I should apologize because you were really upset."

"I wasn't upset." But Ron said she was? Hermione thought for sure that he'd take Lavender's side.

"Right. Well, I'm sorry. I did not mean to start a rumor about you," she said almost mechanically. "But, if you don't mind my asking, what were you and Malfoy talking about yesterday morning? You both seemed rather cozy there."

"We were sitting in chairs at a table in the library. How does that constitute as cozy?" Hermione asked, wiping her eyes.

"Well, it was more the way you were looking at each other."

"I don't know what you're talking about," just a peek at her thoughts? No. Please? NO! Hermione argued the moral issues of Legilimency.

"Oh, come on Hermione. You know what I mean. You guys looked like you were sharing a secret joke. Come on, you can tell me. Girl to girl."

"Wow, Lavender. You must have been watching us really closely. You know, some people tend to find that extremely rude. Like me. Now, girl to girl, how could I possibly tell you anything? I mean, you talk about me enough when I say nothing to you."

"You know what?" Lavender stood up. "I was only apologizing because Ron said I should. If you ask me, there really is something going on between you and Malfoy. If there is, don't think you can hide it for long, Hermione. I will know about it."

"Knock yourself out," Hermione yawned and got up to get ready for the day. The girls ignored each other until Lavender finally stormed down to breakfast. Hermione rolled her eyes before noticing an owl outside her window. She opened it and took the piece of parchment from the bird's leg.

G.

Thank you. See you soon.

-M.

Hermione felt an enormous weight lift from her shoulders. Draco actually thanked her. She began walking down to the Great Hall with a smile when she saw Harry and Ron, obviously waiting for her. They both looked up when she came down the steps.

"Mornin'," Harry greeted her. She nodded to them. "So, how are you?" He continued.

"I'm doing better," Hermione replied.

"So then Lavender did apologize?" Ron asked hopefully. "The way she stomped out of here I thought for sure you two had gotten into a row or something."

"Oh, we did," Hermione admitted. "Just a small one, though. Even after she muttered the worst apology I've ever heard, she insisted going on about Malfoy," she was starting to soften toward her friends again. "Believe me when I say this, if I there was anything I could tell you about what's going on between us, I would. But there's nothing to tell," that, at least, was a half-truth. She couldn't very well tell them the truth after she promised Dumbledore she would not.

Harry and Ron smiled. "We figured as much," Harry said.

"We also think that what you did was-"

"What Ron means to say is that when you stood up for Malfoy-"

"Or didn't stand up for Malfoy, because we realize that you didn't take sides. Well, we thought that was very, er, prefect-like and-"

"Noble," Harry finished.

Hermione pulled each of them into a hug.

"Besides," Ron began. "We figured that if you and Malfoy were talking to each other in the library, you were more than likely talking about school. Why else would he talk to you? I mean, other to insult you?"

"Yeah, I-I didn't want to admit it, but Malfoy's been helping me with school. As it turns out, he needs help with something too. So, we've made a sort of deal. Please don't tell anybody. I know, Malfoy and I are supposed to hate each other, I'm a "lowly" muggleborn and he's a prick of a pureblood and all that, but... well, we can recognize each others' intelligence."

"Sounds like our Hermione's growing up," Harry teased. "She can tolerate our worst enemy in order to help and be helped."

"Does that mean Malfoy's growing up too?" Ron asked, more jokingly than not. They all began walking down to breakfast.

Hermione said nothing but thought about Ron's words. She smiled to herself. Yes, in fact, Draco Malfoy had also matured. He was no longer the spoiled little brat who would go out of his way to humiliate Harry. Hermione wasn't so arrogant as to think that she'd been the spark to ignite the change, especially because he'd been acting differently since the beginning of the school year. So what was the change?

Oh well. Right now, Hermione walked to the Great Hall with her two best friends. Could this day possibly get any better?

xxxx

"Could this day possibly get any worse?"

Draco and Hermione stood looking at each other, Hermione rubbing her arm where Draco had unwittingly cast a stinging hex.

"You're not staying focused," Hermione said gently.

"Granger. I have not been able to properly resist any of your... mental intrusions."

"Something's bothering you, or distracting you. What's on your mind?" Hermione, trying to help, asked. Draco said nothing. "You know I can always try to find out."

"And risk getting stung again?"

"Do you remember what we read last Wednesday? About resisting physically and resisting mentally? You're being too physical about it. Any Legilimens will know that you're trying to hide something if you do that. You've got to focus more. Control your emotions, and defend your thoughts with your mind."

Draco closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Ready?"

Looking up, clearly frustrated, Draco shook his head.

"Then maybe we should talk," Hermione sat down on the couch and helped herself to some pumpkin juice. Draco came to sit next to her. "What's troubling you? I can feel that there's something there. Do you want to talk about it, or would you rather try to put that memory into the Pensieve?"

"No, it's not the memory that's bothering me. It's how I feel about it."

Hermione waited for an explanation that did not come. "Go on," she urged. "I haven't seen the actual memory yet, but I did feel your confusion about it. What happened?"

Draco laughed. "Well, you see, yesterday, after lunch, I was walking along minding my own business when some hot-tempered Gryffindor came up to me and started threatening me and telling me I'd better stay away from his friend. That part didn't confuse me. What happened next did. I heard another Gryffindor yell a curse. I didn't have the time to respond, but I didn't need to because, magically, there was a shield charm in front of me. Now, don't get me wrong because I am grateful, but why, Granger? Why did you do that? Why didn't you take Weasley's side?"

"Hey, I didn't take your side either," Hermione defended herself. "I've had this conversation enough," she added to herself.

"I know, but you didn't have to. Just the fact that you weren't going to choose one of us over the other made me feel... worth something, I guess. I mean, you defended me against your two best friends. I can't honestly say that I know anybody else would ever do that for me. Anyway, I'm glad that I have you as a... well, I mean to say that I consider you a..." Draco looked away from Hermione. "An ally," he finally said.

So she'd gained his trust. And it only took a week? That seemed almost too easy until Hermione reminded herself of the past few days. Though they had their secrets, Draco and Hermione shared a lot with each other in a short amount of time. But she knew he could be shrewd and manipulative. He could be trying to lure her into a false sense of security. But to what purpose? Surely she meant nothing to his plans. Hermione's own deceitfulness had her doubting Draco's intentions. Perhaps she was safer that way.

"Draco Malfoy, are you saying that, after five years of being enemies, you don't hate me anymore?" Hermione teased.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am. In a... round-about sort of way."

"I hadn't really thought about it before now but I think I feel the same way. I don't hate you either. You've changed, I think. We both have, really. You're definitely more mature now. I mean, you rarely even try to pick fights with Harry anymore. I can tell you feel more comfortable around me now, too. And isn't that something? You and I, allies. Do you think that could possibly be one of the signs of the apocolypse?"

Draco laughed softly as he ran his fingers through his hair. "You know, I thought about that too."

"Think you're ready to try again?" Hermione asked after a few minutes of silence.

For an answer, Draco stood up and offered a hand to Hermione. Unnecessary, but a sweet gesture, nonetheless. She stood up.

"Hey, Malfoy?"

"Hmm?"

"You never actually told me why you want to learn Occlumency. I didn't think it was really any of my business, but... well, I didn't want to ask before."

Draco's face hardened as his right hand moved to rub his left forearm. "I wish I could tell you. In short, I need to protect myself. I don't really want to say anymore than that."

Hermione carefully put her right hand on his left shoulder. "It's fine. Just... promise me that you'll tell me someday."

"Sure. I promise," he grabbed her right hand with his own. They momentarily gazed into each other's eyes.

"You know," Hermione began. "It's easier to resist if you don't make eye contact."

Draco smirked at her words that, to him, were loaded. Of course Hermione referred to resisting her use of Legilimency. Draco, however, also thought about resisting her... charm. Somehow, in the past week, she had bewitched him. He trusted her more than he ever wanted to trust another soul.

"It would be easier to resist, but I prefer a challenge."

xxxx

Sing with me! Can you feel the love tonight? (In this case, love equals sexual tension. A common mistake.)

So, toodles for now! Hope you enjoyed this update and I hope you don't have to wait too long for the next!

Thanks for reviewing! Slytherin Girl seVen, (I'm glad you liked the fight scene. I had a lot of fun writing it.) Emi-Bum, (Thanks!) JessieBear16, (Haha, you remind me of my ex and his obsession with Metallica. And of course Ron would be fuming. What else does that kid do? I couldn't keep him mad for long, though lol. Thanks for all the song suggestions!) Desi Zephyr, (Hey, I'm glad you gave my story a chance. Yeah, Hermione was a little harsh, but they're in the middle of a fight, and then Ron went and pulled that stunt... I think she was well-deserving to be a little pissed, lol.) and Carly. (Aww, you adore it? lol I'm glad.)


	5. Celebrating Victories

Okay, so I totally lied in my last update. This is NOT the last chapter. Next one WILL be, though. Mind you, it'll be short and sweet and to le pointe. Yeah, I couldn't end it too soon without it being like. . . o.O

So here's this one. I hope you enjoy it!

By the way, why didn't anybody tell me that I've been spelling Voldemort's name wrong! Haha, I was rereading earlier chapters to see if I'd forgotten anything and I saw "Voldermort." Erm... that's not right, is it? I checked my reliable source and, sure enough, I'm an idiot.

P.S. I realized my mistake, but I'm too damn lazy to change it now. Oh well. From henceforth, he is Voldemort. Besides, I like to look back and laugh at my mistakes. Hell, I recently reread some of my fic, A Change of Plans, just for old time's sake. I'm half embarrassed to admit that I even wrote that. I could blame it on the fact that I was younger and a less experienced writer then, but I actually like the VERY first fanfiction I ever posted so... that won't work. Er, onto the story!

Chapter 5: Celebrating Victories

"Are you even trying, Hermione? That was, what? Fifteen times in a row?"

"Very funny Draco," the girl replied in a less than pleasant voice. "Besides, you get extra practice. I'm not allowed."

She was of course referring to Draco's revelation that Snape was a practiced Legilimens. One day, familiar with the feeling of having one's mind explored, Draco caught his professor taking a look at his thoughts. From that day forward, Draco used every opportunity he could to coax Snape into using Legilimency in order to test his own skills. It took a few weeks, but he soon found he could completely conceal his thoughts from Snape.

Draco gave Hermione the most arrogant look he could muster. It lasted for a total of two seconds before he broke out in laughter. "This is really great, you know?" He began taunting her in a sing-song voice, "You can't read my mind, ha ha ha ha ha ha."

Hermione tried her best to contain her own giggles. "I'm sorry, how old are you?"

"If you could read my mind you'd know!"

Hermione smirked.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Draco worked to lift his mental barriers, but it was too late. Hermione saw a familiar scene, one in which she made an appearance. She saw herself, in their third year, punching Draco in the face. She stopped the Legilimency.

"I forgot how mean I was as a kid," Hermione said jokingly. "You dropped your guard. I believe that means your back to one?"

"I wasn't even ready. You cheated!" Draco tried to act offended then quickly changed his tone. "I'm proud of you."

"Well, _you _would be," she sat down on the floor. It was closer than the sofa. "I need a break, I'm exhausted."

Draco landed beside her, but faced the opposite direction. He laid back, folding his hands under his head, and looked up at Hermione. "I am proud of you," he repeated. "Not for cheating, obviously," he corrected himself, "but for everything else. I mean, you're doing great in Potions, even Snape would be impressed. Not that he'd admit it, but you know. It's the thought that counts and all that junk. And it's not just that. I'm proud of you for admitting that you needed help in the first place. How long ago was that?"

"Almost two months," Hermione answered. "And I'm proud of you too. You set a goal for yourself and, as far as I'm concerned, you've achieved it. Not to mention I've seen a totally different side of you, one I never would have thought existed."

"Yeah, well, don't be spreading that information around. People might actually want to get to know me better, and I rather like my privacy."

"As if anybody would believe me anyway," Hermione teased. She looked at the clock. "It's earlier than I thought it was. A few minutes before ten," she said before Draco could ask.

"You know what I think?" Draco asked, looking up at the ceiling.

"I could find out."

"You wish! I'm not dropping my guard again! Anyway, I think," he paused for a dramatic effect, propping himself up on one elbow to look Hermione in the eyes. "I think we deserve to celebrate. You've surpassed Potter's skills in Potions, and I'm dominating in Occlumency."

Draco had roused her interest. "Celebrate?"

"Mmhmm," he nodded. "Meet me in the Entrance Hall in ten minutes. Dress warmly," he stood up, helped Hermione to her feet, and immediately began replacing his memories from the Pensieve. As he was doing this, he also grabbed some pumpkin juice and a book from the table. "Oh, and don't get caught," Draco added on his way out the door.

Curiosity made Hermione hurry to replace her memories. When she got to the table, however, she noticed a piece of parchment sticking out of one of the books. They hadn't taken any notes tonight. Hermione reached for the parchment and unfolded it. Her name was scribbled, in Draco's handwriting, at the top.

_Hermione,_

_I need you to know something. I need you to know the reasons I wanted to learn Occlumency. The truth. When we first decided to help each other I never dreamed that we would become this close. I feel as if I could tell you almost anything now, and you would listen. So now, I'm going to try. Hermione, I'm terrified. I've been asked, or commanded rather, to do something that I simply cannot do. No, that I simply will not do._

_For so many years I've been acting like some tough, ruthless kid but... I'm not. The truth is, I wanted people to fear and respect me and it worked. Now I just wish I'd never said or did half of the things I did. I'm so distant from everyone now and I have nobody to turn to, nobody to talk to about my predicament. Except you. I hate bringing you into this mess, but I need you. You've helped me in so many ways. I'm stronger now, I'm more confident now, and I'm not as afraid anymore. I want to tell you everything, I don't want to keep secrets from you, but I need to tell you in person. Until then, my friend._

_All my thanks,_

_Draco_

Hermione could not even think. She turned to leave the room and gasped. Draco stood at the door. He had a book in his hands. The two stared uneasily at each other. Draco finally forced a smile. "I grabbed the wrong one," he said awkwardly, holding up the book. "What do you have there?" He indicated the letter in her hand. She did not answer. He took a deep breath and walked over to the table. He exchanged the book he held with the one that had contained the letter.

"So what is it you've been told to do?" Hermione asked after a few moments. She had a good idea, of course, but Draco could not know that.

"I have to- Wait. Before I say anything, Hermione, I don't want you to hate me for this. I'd understand if you did, of course, but-"

"I won't hate you, Draco. And I'm glad that you trust me enough to tell me now. I promise I won't hate you," she waited for him to respond.

"Please don't hate me when I say that I can't tell you right now. I did mean to give you that letter, but not yet. I want to but... Let's just enjoy tonight."

Hermione reassuringly touched his arm. "I'll wait," she said simply.

He offered a smile before leaving once again.

Hermione walked to her dormitory and then crept downstairs to meet Draco. There he stood, in the shadows, waiting for her. Putting a finger to his lips, he opened the door and waited for Hermione to follow him before he shut it.

The air was frigid. The ground, thankfully, was nearly frozen and thus not muddy. In the darkness, Draco grabbed Hermione's hand and began leading her away from the castle. She realized he was carrying something under his other arm.

"Shouldn't we cast _lumos_, Draco?"

"And risk being seen? Don't worry, I know where I'm- DAMMIT!"

Hermione giggled. "That was a tree," she unnecessarily informed him.

He continued but said nothing. Hermione imagined he was trying not to smile. She guessed by now that Draco was leading her to the lake. But why?

"What are we doing?" Hermione whispered.

"Celebrating, of course."

They finally came to a clearing by the lake. The moon and stars shone brightly on the surface of the water. Draco and Hermione both stopped to admire the beauty before them. Hermione shivered so Draco let go of her hand and pulled out his wand.

"_Accio dry wood, and brush, and... such,_" he added. After the summoned items made a pile on the ground Draco looked at Hermione. In the scarce moonlight, he could see her disbelieving look and knew she was mocking his choice of words. He shrugged. "It worked, didn't it?"

Hermione had to agree. She pointed her wand at the dry wood and brush _and such_ and said "_Incendio_," to start a fire. "That is how you cast a spell," she playfully tormented.

"Where would I be without you?" Draco produced a blanket that he set down next to the flame. They sat on it and warmed their hands for a while.

"Butterbeer?" Draco offered Hermione a bottle. She accepted the warm drink with gratitude. He held up his own bottle. "Cheers."

"Cheers," Hermione echoed and took a gulp. "Thank you, Draco. This is really nice."

"Well, we've been working for two weeks without a break, and it paid off. I figure we deserve to get out of the castle and relax. And tomorrow night, I'll explain that letter."

Hermione nodded. Moments later, she heard something that sounded like music. "Do you hear that?" She asked Draco.

"Yeah, what is it?" He stood up and looked around. "From the lake," he said. "It's coming from the lake."

And so it was. The merpeople were singing. "How beautiful," Hermione mused. She too stood and grabbed Draco's hands to pull him farther from the fire and closer to the water. "What do you suppose they're saying?"

Draco slipped his right arm around Hermione's waist. "I have no clue," he answered. "But shall we?"

Accepting the challenge, Hermione rested her left hand on his shoulder. Their free hands joined and they began to dance.

"What?" Draco asked. Hermione, for the past few minutes, kept smiling, looking away, and trying not to smile. "Are you blushing?"

"No," Hermione said quickly.

"You're cheeks look pink."

"It's because of the firelight, not to mention it's cold. Your face looks red."

"Well, I _am_ blushing."

"Why?"

"Because you did it first."

"That's ridiculous. I am not blushing."

"But you are smiling rather a lot for someone who isn't trying to hide a blush."

"Fine," Hermione finally admitted with a laugh. "I might be blushing. But just a little. And it's because, well, look at us. You and I. Here we are, we snuck out of the castle. I've never seen the lake look this beautiful and the merpeople are singing and playing the most lovely music I have ever heard. This night is just-"

"Perfect."

"Yes. Perfect. Thank you for bringing me here."

They stood still. It felt almost as if they were just now seeing each other for the first time. Hermione's eyes darted across his face and tried to take in all of it at the same time. She finally saw only his eyes. The grey eyes before her held her attention for mere seconds before her gaze drifted to his lips. Draco shared a similar experience in finding Hermione's captivating brown eyes moments before he considered how wonderful her lips seemed this close up.

Hermione found it impossibly difficult to breathe properly as she imagined Draco's face coming closer to her own. No, she wasn't imagining it. He moved forward until there was less than an inch between their lips. Hermione, allowing her eyes to flutter closed, readied herself for the moment they would meet.

She felt the light caress of his lips against hers. It seemed amazing, but that one little kiss sent a warmth through Hermione's entire body. They slowly, almost reluctantly, parted and could only stare at each other.

"Maybe we should go now," Draco's voice came in a hoarse whisper.

"I'm sorry," Hermione spoke softly, though she did not know why she apologized.

Draco shook his head, the faintest smile appearing on his lips. "It's not you. I just... This night, this place, it's magical, really. I just don't want to do something that we may end up regretting later."

Hermione had to agree. She stood on her toes and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek before helping him erase the evidence of their rondez-vous.

"I'll see you tomorrow night?" Draco asked as he and Hermione parted their ways.

"Of course," a soft smile appeared on her lips.

xxxx

End chapter five, and I hope you enjoyed it. I swear that the next update will be the last! For real this time!

Urgh, I would have had this up sooner, but I was working on the final chapter AND this one at the same time. I had the ending for the next chapter before I finished this one. So after a bit of feedback, in case there are any suggestions/criticisms, I'll have the next update ready for you!

Hey, did you guys notice that they're on a first name basis now? Without going into detail about how that happened, I just wanted readers to realize how close they've gotten since they started the, er, tutoring sessions. Yep.

Thanks for reviewing! ANONYMOUS, (Glad you're enjoying this!) mean-girl123, (So, I lied. We have one more chapter to go. THEN it'll be finished. I swear. And thanks for looking for my story just so you could review. That really means a lot to me!) PrincessGracieLupin, (Dude, because I can call you that, DM/HG _could_ honestly happen. JKR is just too stubborn to admit it. Same with SB/RL. It could so happen! And who knows what she isn't telling us? It might have already happened and it's a big conspiracy to keep it covered up. Er... yeah. As for the pictures of Mr Felton, well, I'd marf him anyday. Screw waiting for marriage, he'd be my exception. Cuz, you know, it could happen. The powers that be are just too stubborn to admit it. xwinkx) Carly, (Hehe, you're obsessed with my story. Way to feed my ego! Er, I have to go to boot camp/basic military training because I'm enlisting in the Air Force. I ship out August 8th. I am SO excited!) licking cows, (I hope you appreciate the update! I have cows. But, I'm almost positive, you wouldn't want to lick them, lol.) JessieBear16, (Oh, who cares? Sing with me! Woot to tone-deafness! Luckily, if we sing loudly enough, we can't hear ourselves. Mwahaha. And, yeah, it did seem to be ending too soon. Thanks for, you know, helping me realize that. I'm extending this story JUST because you said that. Seriously.) and Iceblinkwolf. (Yeah, I try to keep it... somewhat realistic. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. Thanks for the input!)


	6. The End of the Beginning

There is what can only be described as an Appendix at the end of this story. It's short, but I think you'll find it interesting. Yeah, I wrote the ending of this chapter before I wrote the rest. I needed to know how it was going to end! Let me tell you, this chapter totally kicked my butt in the creativity department. I even developed a mild case of writer's block. To work through the block, I wrote a one shot. It might be worth checking out. If you're interested. DM/HG, of course.

Don't freak out. A few times throughout this chapter, you might see quotes that you recognize. Well, I'm giving all said quotes credit at the end.

I'm also introducing a sort of timeline for this chapter for the simple reason that I'm spanning several months in this one chapter, and I don't want to keep saying things like x months later.

Warning. Muchos fluff! Well, by my standards, anyway.

Chapter 6: The End of the Beginning

April. The next day.

Hermione awoke the next morning with a smile on her face. Her feelings were no longer pretend. She did honestly consider Draco Malfoy her friend. She hadn't planned on falling for him, of course, but it had happened, nonetheless. When did it start? Hermione could hardly guess. She couldn't fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation. It was too long ago. She was in the middle before she knew that she had begun.

"Hermione," Ginny was with her. She caught hold of her arm as they walked out of the common room. "Where are you going? Did you forget? The Great Hall is this way," the redheaded girl pointed in the opposite direction that Hermione had been walking.

"I'm not really hungry this morning," Hermione explained. "I think I'll just go to the library and do some research."

"You should really come down and eat something," the girl began to protest. Then she sighed. "I'll bring you some toast to the library for you. You may not think you're very hungry, but you'll be grateful later."

"Thanks, Ginny."

"And wipe that dopey grin off your face. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were totally smitten."

"And if I didn't know any better, I'd tell you that I think I am," Hermione said to herself as she watched Ginny's retreating figure.

Though she couldn't explain it, she felt triumphant. Two months ago, Dumbledore faced her with the seemingly impossible task of approaching and acting friendly toward Draco Malfoy. Not only had she accomplished that, but Draco had opened up to her as well. Sure, he hadn't told her everything yet, but she was confident that tonight would be the night. She sat down in the back of the library when she realized something: Draco, almost positively, would tell Hermione his secret tonight. But what about her own secret? Could she ever tell him? Would he feel betrayed?

xxxx

Hermione hurried to the Room of Requirement. She'd only seen Draco a handful of times throughout the day, and he looked increasingly sick as the day progressed. Was he having second thoughts? "Please no," Hermione whispered to herself. "I want to hear the truth from you." At her words, a pang of guilt wrenched her stomach. This is different, she justified.

She opened the door and saw Draco standing in front of the Pensieve with his back to her. Quietly as possible, she walked up behind him and put her hand on his shoulder. He showed no sign of surprise, but rather turned to look at her. Hermione saw uncertainty in his grey eyes, though he tried to smile. He sat down on the couch and beckoned her to sit next to him. She did.

"Okay," he said slowly. "I wanted to learn Occlumency in order to protect myself. I've been asked to... Well, you know about my father... Er. This isn't coming out right," Draco stood up and paced the room. Hermione sat, patiently waiting. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I just... I don't know how to say this. There's too many emotions and too much to say. I'm not even sure where to begin."

Hermione reached out and grabbed his hand. "Maybe you don't have to say anything."

"You mean-"

"Well, if you think it might be easier for you."

Draco slowly nodded.

"Just try not to resist," Hermione said, standing in front of him. "Try to guide me through it all, and through your emotions."

Again, he nodded. Their gazes locked, and Hermione looked into Draco's mind. Everything Dumbledore had said was true. Draco had been charged with the task of killing the Headmaster. At first, Draco was ecstatic to be trusted with such an assignment. But Draco was not a killer. The ensuing months were torture for him as he wrestled with his conscience. He could not kill Dumbledore. But Voldemort kept checking his progress. How could he lie to him? His father had told him about his Legilimency skills. And then Hermione entered the scene. Just the opportunity Draco had been desperately praying for.

Hermione stopped and collapsed back on the couch. "Draco," she began. Tears, real tears, lined her eyes, and she couldn't understand why. She did not realize that a small part of her hoped that Dumbledore was mistaken about Draco. Her brain had processed the information just fine, but her heart fought against seeing any flaws regarding Draco.

"I won't do it, Hermione. I can't. I want nothing more to do with the Dark Lord. Please believe me," he reached to wipe the tears on her cheeks. "I want Dumbledore to live. And he can now, thanks to you. We can tell him about the Dark Lord's plans, and he can go into hiding. I'm confident that none of the Death Eaters will suspect a thing.

"I'm so glad to hear you say that, Draco," Hermione's face softened. "I'm proud of you for even thinking about standing up to him. It's not going to be easy."

Draco held onto Hermione's hand. "You're not... mad?" He asked uncertainly.

Hermione shook her head. "I know you," she said. "I feel as if I do, anyway. You feel regret for your involvement, and you're doing what you can to sever your ties. It's not your fault, Draco. That's the life you were born into. You're not to blame. Not anymore."

Draco stood up. "I need talk to Dumbledore. I need to make this right."

"I'll come with you," Hermione declared. "You don't need to do anything alone anymore."

In that moment, in those words, in the looks they shared... Draco and Hermione formed an unbreakable bond. They could both feel it. And it was wonderful.

xxxx

Just a random day in May, really.

Draco and Hermione, as had become their custom, sat in the library in the afternoon. No one was about to start any more rumors about them being an item. Besides, they were only ever seen together doing homework in the library. Hermione found this lack of gossip all rather ironic. Although she and Draco were not officially dating now, there was a definite something between them.

Harry entered the library that afternoon. Draco was the first to notice him walking toward them.

"Play along," whispered Draco as Harry came ever closer. Then, in a louder voice, loud enough for Harry to hear, he asked Hermione, "And you're sure the baby's mine?"

Hermione kept her face poker straight. "Well, it couldn't possibly be anybody else's, now could it?" She turned and acted startled as Harry stopped beside her. "Oh," she said. "I didn't see you there."

Harry eyed them both suspiciously. "Okay you two. I respect the whole 'study buddy' relationship you have going on, which is bizarre enough, but you don't need to add any jokes to the weirdness."

"Who's joking?" Draco almost yelled, throwing his arms up in mock frustration. "Oh, and don't even _think_ about making Potter the godfather," he said, looking pointedly at Harry.

"Oh yeah, I'm sure Crabbe or Goyle would be much better suited. Not. I don't even want those two around my child."

"_Our_ child, Hermione."

Harry looked back and forth between the two in front of him. They both looked so frustrated. He slowly scanned his surroundings.

"What are you looking for, Harry?" Hermione asked.

"The portal. I think I might have stumbled into a parallel universe. I need to get back. Now."

Hermione finally lost her straight face and laughed. "I'm sorry Harry. Did you need something?"

Harry looked at her cynically. "Are you a good witch, or a bad witch?"

"I resent that!" Hermione declared.

"I'm glad. Anyway, I was just in Dumbledore's office. He wanted me to give this to you, Hermione. I'm leaving now. You two are scaring me," although Harry had accepted that Draco and Hermione had a professional relationship, he could not fathom how they could enjoy each other's company. "Making the best of the situation," Hermione had once said in her defense. Harry still couldn't grasp it. And we don't even want to discuss Ron's reaction.

Hermione opened the note from Dumbledore. "He wants to see us in his office," Hermione answered Draco's inquiring look. Her expression was apprehensive. "Now," she stood up to leave. Draco followed, close behind.

The hallways were relatively empty because most other students were at lunch. Dumbledore smiled when he saw Draco and Hermione enter his office. "Good afternoon. Draco, how are your Occlumency skills coming along?" Dumbledore asked. The two students had told him everything in their last visit.

As if on cue, Snape also entered the room. "Ah, Severus. You're just in time," he returned his attention to Draco. "I hope you don't mind, but I asked Professor Snape to test your abilities."

Draco and Hermione stared in disbelief. They both knew about Snape being a double agent, so how could Dumbledore trust him?

"Don't worry. Professor Snape plays a large part of our plan."

Utterly confused, Draco and Hermione did not know what to do.

"If you don't mind, Draco. I'd like to test your abilities. Severus, you may go first."

Snape nodded and then looked at Draco. The younger man barely even had to put much effort into resisting now because it had become second nature for Draco to protect his thoughts.

"Very good," Snape commented. "I couldn't get anything," he said to Dumbledore.

"Now, it's my turn," said the older man. Same deal for Draco, no problem. "I'm very impressed, Draco. This is excellent. You and Severus must go back to Voldemort, so as not to raise any suspicions. It is crucial that you always cloak your true thoughts. He cannot catch wind of our plan. That would ruin everything. You and Hermione should continue to practice."

"No problem," Draco assured him. Hermione smiled. They met almost regularly in the Room of Requirements regardless of whether they planned to review their skills or not. It was the only time they got to spend together where they could actually be themselves.

"What should we do about Granger?" Snape asked unexpectedly. "What if he suspects something and decides to come after her?"

"He shouldn't get anything from her, either. You forget that learning Occlumency and Legilimency is not mutually exclusive. Hermione has learned Legilimency, and so she has picked up, from Draco, the best methods of how to protect her mind."

"Of course," Snape nodded. "But still, shouldn't we make sure?"

"I've been trying for the past ten minutes, Severus. If you'd like to try your own luck, with Hermione's permission, be my guest."

Hermione was shocked. She hadn't realized that she'd learned any Occlumency. Thinking back on it now, however, it only made sense. If she could attack, why could she not also defend?

"You are all dismissed for now," Dumbledore announced. "We will meet back here sometime soon to review our plan."

Draco and Hermione started walking back to the library when Hermione noticed the time. "There's really no point," she said. "Potions begins in a few minutes."

A mischievous glint appeared in Draco's eyes. "Wait. Before we go," he didn't waste time finishing his sentence with words. Instead, he pulled Hermione close and kissed her lightly on the lips.

"What was that for?" Hermione asked as she suddenly became aware the sound of approaching footsteps and voices. She and Draco parted and began walking to Slughorn's classroom.

"Thank you. For being... everything for me."

xxxx

The day before that fateful night in June.

Draco held Hermione close to him as they watched the sunset from the astronomy tower. Neither of them had spoken a word since they arrived there. Earlier that day, Dumbledore had reviewed The Plan with them. It was unlike anything they had expected.

The sun set and the stars appeared, one by one. They laid down and watched the night sky.

"You know you'll have to act as if I betrayed you. We can't have anybody suspicious."

Hermione's gaze fell. "I know," she said, but she thought, "I'm a rather good actress. I had you fooled." She tried to brush away that guilt. Her deceit had been for Draco's own good, but it still couldn't keep him completely safe.

"Hermione, there's a million things I want to say to you. I may never get the chance to say them again."

"You can't think of it like that. Just trust that we'll be together again some day."

"I have no idea what's going to happen after tomorrow," Draco began.

Hermione silenced him with a kiss. "Just hold me. Whatever lies beyond this morning is a little later on. We don't have to worry about it now. Honestly, the future doesn't scare me at all. I know we'll be okay."

Draco actually smiled. "Meet me in the Room before I leave. I want to say good-bye to you."

"We shouldn't, you know. We'd take a huge risk in being seen together."

"I'll be there tomorrow. I hope you'll be there, too."

xxxx

(I suppose we could call this an appendix. It's not written too formally, just kind of... there.)

And, of course, we know what happens in June. Dumbledore must die, but not by Draco Malfoy's hands. Just months after her husband's imprisonment, Narcissa Malfoy went to Snape's house to make him promise to watch over her son, protect him from harm, and to finish the deed which the Dark Lord commanded of him if he did not succeed. She made him take an Unbreakable Vow.

Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore had argued about this the entire year. Snape did not want to kill Dumbledore, he was such a powerful wizard, and he had given him a second chance. Dumbledore, however, knew that he did not have long to live anyway. Besides, he wanted to have someone faithful to him among Voldemort's most trusted. That being said, it was crucial for Snape to fulfill the Unbreakable Vow, and for Draco to follow Snape. They needed to keep up appearances in order to stay safe. But before Draco left:

Draco found Hermione sitting in the Room of Requirements. Waiting for him, as he had asked. She immediately ran to be in his arms. He kissed her passionately, trying desperately to remember everything about this moment. He did not know when, or if, he would be with her again.

"I'll come back to you. I promise," he kissed her forehead.

Hermione pulled herself tighter into his embrace. "I know you will."

"Remember, Hermione," he whispered into her hair. "No matter what happens in the future, I'm your friend. Even as I masquarade among the Death Eaters, I won't betray you," he lifted her chin. "We'll get him for this. We'll make him pay."

They stood back and looked into each other's eyes. The same three words were on the tips of both of their tongues, but neither said them. They didn't have to. Hermione looked into Draco's stormy grey eyes, and she knew. Draco searched Hermione's warm brown eyes, and he'd never felt so certain about anything else in his entire life.

xxxx

THE END! I hope you liked this! I really enjoyed writing it. I shall miss you all!

I apologize for any grammatical/spelling errors. i didnt' proffreed this as good as I ott two of. (Yeah, that's my sense of humor.)

Because this isn't some kind of an after school special, I decided that Hermione should keep her secret from Draco. Shocking behavior, eh? Er, it's also because, that would have opened up a whole new can of worms, and I honestly don't have the time to deal with anymore complicated issues in this story. Besides, that leaves it open for a, dare I say it, sequel. At least an epilogue. That is, if I ever decide that I have free time in a few months. OOH! I will for sure around Christmas time... Expect some kind of update-age! LoL I know, it's a really cheap thing for me to say as an author, but I have to take the easy way out and avoid any more conflicts between my characters for now.

Hey, are there any Kingdom Hearts enthusiasts reading this? If so, did a couple of those lines at the end sound familiar? I'm totally obsessed with KH, (I mean like, it rivals my HP obsession) and Kairi and Sora are just so cute!

Disclaimer on the quotes I used.

"I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun." -_Pride and Prejudice_

"Are you a good witch, or a bad witch?" - The Wizard of Oz (of course)

"Hold me. Whatever lies beyond this morning is a little later on. Regardless of warnings the future doesn't scare me at all. Nothing's like before." - Simple and Clean, sung by Utada Hikaru

"I'll come back to you. I promise." "I know you will." -Kingdom Hearts (Yeah, that scene almost made me cry. I must admit, the ending for KHII _did_ make me cry.)

Yeah, I'm not sure why I decided to use all those quotes. Lack of creativity perhaps? Or just wanting to have fun. Dunno, doesn't matter.

Thanks for reviewing! mean-girl123, (Hey, thanks for sticking with me and my story for as long as you did! I appreciate it. Oh yeah, was that enough fluff for ya? -) Michelle Felton, (First of all, I love your penname, lol. I'm glad you thought it was interesting.) and Gwinna. (Hey, you've been with me and this fic for a while, too. Thanks! I hope you enjoyed this last update!)


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